FBI seizes over 700 drones around FIFA World Cup sites in US

More than 700 drones have been seized near FIFA World Cup stadiums and fan zones across the United States since the tournament began on June 11, according to the FBI, as authorities step up efforts to enforce temporary flight restrictions around match venues.

The FBI said the drones were intercepted after entering restricted airspace in all 11 US host cities. Several people have also been arrested for allegedly breaching the no-fly rules.

Due to unprecedented law enforcement coordination, this FBI and our DHS partners have seized over 700 drones from restricted airspace across all 11 U.S. host cities since the start of the FIFA World Cup tournament. pic.twitter.com/JqGIHunPsi

— FBI San Diego (@FBISanDiego) July 16, 2026

On match days, all aircraft operations, including drones, are banned within a three-nautical-mile radius of stadiums and up to 3,000ft (914m) above ground level unless specifically authorised by air traffic controllers. Around fan zones, drones are prohibited within a one-nautical-mile radius and up to 1,000ft above ground level.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) introduced dozens of temporary flight restrictions for World Cup venues, warning that operators who enter restricted airspace without approval could face fines of up to $100,000, criminal charges and confiscation of their drones.

The FBI said specialist teams had been deployed around stadiums throughout the tournament to detect and disable unauthorised drones.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the large number of drone seizures showed the authorities were able to identify those responsible.

The seizures demonstrate the government "can actually identify the users and identify people who are in airspace where they're not supposed to be."

Mr Bedford also said the FAA was considering expanding drone restrictions to protect other critical infrastructure.

"We're going to start looking at all of the sensitive locations, power plants, utility plants, infrastructure."

The FAA has proposed allowing operators of critical infrastructure to apply for restrictions on drone flights over sensitive sites for safety and security reasons.

The agency has previously said it receives more than 100 reports each month of drones operating near US airports.

By Aghakazim Guliyev